Cult Life with Robin Jackson

Jehovah’s Witnesses are advised against pursuing a higher education, with Watchtower providing regular warnings that attending university is an improper use of time in these so called last days. Higher education, such as obtained at a college or university, provides benefits at both a private and social level, hence religious groups that attempt to take this choice from their followers deserve public scrutiny.

In this episode I address Jehovah's Witnesses stance with regard to higher education, but there's a twist.

Buy my book Losing The Faith: https://www.amazon.com/Losing-Faith-R...

Buy my book Cults: How They Workhttps://www.amazon.com/Cults-They-Wor...

#JehovahsWitnesses #highereducation #cults

Vice aired the documentary called Crusaders which examines the secret database of thousands of child sex offenders and how it has impacted the lives of the victims and those who actively speak out about the way these cases were handled by the congregations and the Governing Body at large.

Those of us who have been Jehovah's Witnesses know how the Watch Tower would consistently publish damning articles about child sexual abuse within the Catholic church and often mention this from the platforms. Well, years after the Catholic Church was found to have harboured and protected child sex abusers while punishing the victims for seeking justice, attention was turned on the Jehovah's Witnesses for doing the exact same thing.

By my book Losing The Faith: https://www.amazon.com/Losing-Faith-R...

Buy my book Cults: How They Workhttps://www.amazon.com/Cults-They-Wor...

#JehovahsWitnesses #ViceTV #secretdatabase

A few years ago when I published my two books I was contacted by the South African Broadcasting Corporation to appear on a television show called African Views. The producer who called asked if I was the author of the books called Losing The Faith and Cults: How They Work. I said I most certainly am.

She asked if I would be willing to appear on an episode of African Views which will deal with the topic of fundamentalism in religions. I agreed to appear on the show and what follows is the story of how the Watch Tower refused to be on a television show with me.

By my book Losing The Faith: https://www.amazon.com/Losing-Faith-R...

Buy my Book Cults: How They Workhttps://www.amazon.com/Cults-They-Wor...

#JehovahsWitnesses #SABC #Cults

For some, religion serves as a community, a place of support. It can serve as a common identity shared among family members or a set of beliefs one has held since childhood that governs their lives. 

For others, religion is a source of pain and shame, a place they feel shunned and unwelcome or even unsafe. Religious trauma syndrome (RTS) is a set of symptoms and characteristics that tend to go together and which are related to harmful experiences with religion.

In this episode Robin explores the fundamental causes and effects of Religious Trauma Syndrome

Leaving The Fold by Dr Marlene Winell affiliate link https://amzn.to/3ku1jIv
Breaking Their Will by Janet Heimlich affiliate link https://amzn.to/3xJAgwx

By my book Losing The Faith: https://www.amazon.com/Losing-Faith-Robin-Jackson-ebook/dp/B005AHSJZQ/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Losing+the+faith+Robin+jackson&qid=1626627822&sr=8-2

Buy my Book Cults: How They Workhttps://www.amazon.com/Cults-They-Work-Robin-Jackson/dp/0620423579/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Cults+how+they+work+Robin+jackson&qid=1626627973&sr=8-1

#JehovahsWitnesses #ReligiousTraumaSyndrome #Mentalhealth

A few months ago I appeared on ENCA to express my views on the events surrounding Trump, the insurrection and how the Republican Party in USA has become the personality cult of Trump. How that personality gave rise to the insurrection on the Capital on January the 6th. The events that have unfolded over the past few days here in South Africa has shone a spotlight on our vulnerable society and how political leaders and personalities use the status quo to advance their own agendas and to protect their own selfish interests.

What we saw here in the province of KZN and Gauteng was a well orchestrated attempt by the faction of the ANC aligned to Jacob Zuma who has been imprisoned for contempt of court. Zuma and his RET faction has always been a Cult of Zuma within the ANC organization itself. With the RET faction realising that their Zuma faction was slowly being rooted out and confronted by the Ramaphosa faction, it was time for them to stage a fight back to protect their criminality and own looting of the state coffers for over a decade. Their aim was to destabalise the economy and SA as a whole by crippling our supply chain and infrastructure. The names of those responsible are already known according to the Minister of Police and Minister of State Security. A reformed National Prosecuting Authority has put key players like suspended Secretary-General Ace Magashule on the defensive as he faces Free State-related corruption charges in court in August. The ANC itself has put its own reform into top gear. In the past week, it has suspended RET spokesperson Carl Niehaus, Mpumalanga leader Michael Ngrayi Ngwenya and on Wednesday suspended the Eastern Cape renegade politician, Andile Lungisa.

And as I've said before in a podcast on political cults that history is littered with examples of this. Show people the contradicting statements and utterances of these characters and cognitive dissonance sets in. Their minds simply short circuits in an attempt to justify and legitimise the contradictions and flip flops. Some people will wake up and some won't.

There is no doubt that the criminal element took over the chaos which was instigated by the hidden hands under the veil. Many were opportunist going along with the masses and got swept up in herd mentality.

And as this dies down within the next few days, and communities pick up the pieces in the aftermath, this will have an effect on peoples mental health, physical health and overall well being. But they will rebuild.

Those who instigated this madness should be held accountable. South Africa has a fragile economy and may have survived this past week of violence and mayhem. But only just. It might not be so lucky the next time.

#SouthAfricaUnrest #ANC #Zuma

There are an estimated 175,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia. They are not recognized as Christian by Orthodox and other Christian traditions, primarily because they do not believe in the Trinity. They also do not salute the flag, bear arms or participate in politics.

More than 170 Jehovah’s Witnesses have reportedly been imprisoned or put in pre-trial detention in Russia since 2017 for practising their faith. That’s when the Russian Supreme Court labelled Jehovah’s Witnesses an “extremist” group. Witnesses are a religious minority in the country, where the Russian Orthodox Church has the backing of the state.

Recently a Russian court has handed the country’s longest prison sentence yet to a Jehovah’s Witness.

Buy My Book: Losing The Faith
https://www.amazon.com/Losing-Faith-Robin-Jackson-ebook/dp/B005AHSJZQ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1564088941&sr=8-1

Buy My Book: Cults: How They Work
https://www.amazon.com/Cults-They-Work-Robin-Jackson/dp/0620423579/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=cults+how+they+work&qid=1625313503&sr=8-1

#JehovahsWitnesses #Russia #Cult

In September of 2020, a 50-year old Christian mission in KwaZulu-Natal South Africa came under police investigation after allegations of wide-ranging abuse, gross violations of human rights, turning a blind eye to sexual abuse, and alleged money laundering spanning four decades.

News24 interviewed former members of Kwasizabantu over a period of seven months. As the story unfolded, more and more victims came forward with tales of abuse.

We look into the history and allegations that the church has been acting like a cult.

Exodus trailer courtesy of News24. https://youtu.be/puMOos_1EwQ

Buy My Book: Losing The Faith
https://www.amazon.com/Losing-Faith-R...

Buy My Book: Cults: How They Work
https://www.amazon.com/Cults-They-Wor...

The current events surrounding the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests across America and other countries have shone a light on racism within our society once again. It has also overshadowed the worldwide pandemic we are fighting.

All world religions proclaim universal brotherly love. Yet, history is littered with moments in which religion has provided a justification for, or has given cause to, all kinds of atrocities directed towards people of different race or culture.

So, the whole world is in lockdown. COVID-19 has decimated economies, livelihoods and our normal routines have been interrupted. This pandemic has wreaked havoc globally and we have lost many lives to this virus. Currently, many countries are starting to ease the lockdowns to get some economic activity going. But is clear that we will not be going back to life as we knew it in 1999.

In this episode Robin discusses the disinformation surrounding the virus as well as David Icke and the Conspiracy Theory brigade.

Robin Jackson continues the discussion of his journey out of the Watch Tower organization.
This episode focuses on early adulthood and marriage.

It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.” This statement comes from the movie called The Matrix, which to me aptly describes what I experienced and what led to me being awakened to the deception and cover-ups of an organization that claims to be directed by God and states that it is the sole channel of communication between God and
men.
From about eleven years of age I truly believed that the organization known as Jehovah’s Witnesses was rightfully that which it claimed to be. I was actively involved in the preaching
work as set out and required of every Jehovah’s Witness and never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would find myself taking my current stand. For twenty five years of my life I believed this was “The Truth”. Well, I reached a crossroads in my
life and this book describes what led me to my decisions and how
I came to the conclusion that I was living a life based on just
another religious concept. A concept that can be very damaging
to individuals and families.
My gripe is not with the people in the organization, but it is
with the doctrines that have no sound scriptural backing. The
doctrines that the leaders of this organization enforce on its
followers that cause so much pain and family break-ups. There
are many good people in this organization that I personally know,
and who truly wants to serve God with their whole heart and
mind. They do not know of the cover-ups and deception that this
organization and so many others like it would much rather hide from their followers.

History is littered with cults that use political ideals as their base. Classic examples of this type of cult are Hitler’s Nazi Germany and Stalin’s Communist USSR. This was mind control on a large scale. On a smaller scale, white and black supremacists, terrorists, and rebel groups commonly use forms of mind control to recruit and dominate members. Under this type of cult we include examples such as The Michigan Militia, Posse Comitatus, The Nation of Islam and The Ku Klux Klan. And dare I include South Africa’s very own AWB (Afrikaner Weerstand Beweeging).

There has been an increase in the politics of personalities and the formation of cults around political leaders. Smaller parties, four of them new, and the EFF have presented the electorate with prominent leadership figures and will hang the immediate future of their parties on these personalities. For the ruling ANC, too, the election has become a lot more about Cyril Ramaphosa than it is about the party. In fairness, the ANC is less of a cult, than say, the EFF, Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s African Content Movement, or Andile Mngxitama and the Black First Land First Movement (BLF). However, the EFF has become a classic example of how cults rise out of the personality of one charismatic leader. A leader who can do no wrong in the eyes of the rank and file and who's followers will say and do anything to defend their leader. Even when they are confronted with the hypocrisy and outright lies of that particular leader.

In 1985 The Watch Tower released a book called Life, How did it get here? By evolution or creation? The book was studied by the Jehovah’s Witnesses at their book studies and was hailed as a definitive tool to counter the argument for evolution. However, the book proved to be a feeble attempt by The Watch Tower to prove their doctrine.

The book contained numerous misquotes of experts in the field of evolutionary science, biology, palaeontology and anthropology. Quotes were taken out of context and twisted to suit the narrative within the book. Needless to say, many of these experts called out The Watch Tower for their dishonesty.

It leaves a question mark over the ability of the Watch Tower's teachings and doctrines to stand up to scrutiny and truth.

#evolution #creation #JehovahsWitnesses

We are back with a brand new season of Cult Life. This show outlines the new book called Leaving The Witness by Amber Scorah, a former Jehovah's Witness that was a missionary in China.

Leaving The Witness: Exiting a Religion and Finding a Life recounts Scorah's journey and experiences as a Jehovah's Witness. Ambers view on dealing with change and loss is profoundly inspiring and encompasses what many have to deal with when exiting a religion or a cult.

#LeavingTheWitness #AmberScorah #ExJW

Following a series of tense negotiations and years of liberation struggle, the first democratic election was held in South Africa on the 27th April, 1994. This election changed the history of South Africa. It paved the way towards a new democratic dispensation and a new constitution for the country. For the first time all races in the country were going to the polls to vote for a government of their choice. Nineteen political parties participated and twenty-two million people voted. The election took place in a festive atmosphere, contrary to fears of political violence. Many Jehovah's Witnesses do not vote and stay neutral in political affairs.

However, the requirement not to vote has varied over time. Although few Witnesses vote, since 1999 it is technically a conscience matter.

This episode discusses the standpoint from the Watch Tower and how it has created a mess. Lives have also been lost due to the Watch Tower's commands.

Music intro provided courtesy of Accelerated Ideas (www.accelerated-ideas.com).

#JehovahsWitnesses #Vote #SouthAfrica

Measles outbreaks are devastating countries across the globe, linked to a massive drop in vaccination rates. The World Health Organisation has raised the alarm and ranked ‘vaccine hesitancy’ as one of the top 10 threats to public health everywhere. Washington state has experienced a measles outbreak in the past month. And South Africa is not immune to this.

Dr Yogan Pillay, deputy director general at the Department of Health, said that 85 percent of children in South Africa are fully immunised by the age of one year – but the most recent data from the country’s Medical Research Council suggests this figure is closer to 70 percent.
There are a number of factors that contribute to this with access to rural areas being one, where parents find it difficult to get to clinics and medical practitioners also finding it hard to reach many in the rural areas. Another factor is, of course, the anti-vaccination drives being fuelled by misinformation and bogus studies that have been debunked at proven to be false.

But does religious doctrine and sentiments play a role in the anti-vaccination communities?

#Vaccination #Measles Religion

From inception, Watchtower leaders took issue with the education system, bemoaning teachings that contradict a literal interpretation of the Bible. One of the primary reasoning against a higher education has been that the time left is reduced, so the final days of this system should be spent in full service for Jehovah and his organization.

However, controlling the information that members take in is typical of cults and high control groups.

#JehovahsWitnesses #HigherEducation #CultLife

On the afternoon of Monday December 31, 2018, the Truth and Transparency Foundation was issued four separate takedown requests with a total of 63 documents. The request came from the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. It is the third time the Truth and Transparency Foundation has received such a request, this being the first regarding withdrawal of documents not related to Mormonism.

All the documents included in the requests are currently hosted on the website of TTF project FaithLeaks, which serves as a site to host confidential documents from religious institutions. The entirety of the documents was published in late April or early May 2018, eight months before the requests.

How did FaithLeaks.org respond?

#FaithLeaks #WatchTower #Takedown

Many religions and cults frown upon and have a disdain for the field of Psychology and we will explore some of the writings and utterances of some of these cults showing their distrust of this academic discipline and science.

According to The South African College of Applied Psychology it is the scientific study of the multi-dimensional facets of the mind and human behaviour.

It seeks to understand the developmental, psychosocial and environmental factors that influence experiences and shape individuals and groups. Psychology explores many fascinating concepts including perception, cognition, emotion, motivation, brain functioning, personality, behavior and interpersonal relationships to name just a few.

The study of psychology ultimately aims to benefit individuals and society in the enhancement of mental health as well as in understanding and solving problems in many other contexts and spheres of human activity.

#Cults #Psychology #JehovahsWitnesses

I watched a Netflix documentary called The Keepers over the past week. It is the story about the unsolved murder in 1969 of sister Cathy Cesnick. The seven-part series delves into allegations of unthinkable sexual assault, perpetrated by a trusted Father at the all-girls Catholic High School where Cesnik worked. There is much speculation that the nun was going to expose the Father and this what could have led to her murder. But the point. Despite all these allegations Father Joseph Maskell was moved around within the church district of Baltimore for decades. The response to this whole saga is appalling. It is all about protecting the reputation of the church.

However, how Jehovah's Witnesses handle allegations of child sexual abuse within their ranks is not so different from the Catholic Church.

#TheKeepers #exJW #Christmas